Upper Wilds – Mars

Thrill Jockey

The dynamic trio Upper Wilds, who comprise members of Parts & Labor and Ex-models, amongst others, are using the thrill of intense guitar riffage to explore the outer limits of our recognisable universe and report back to us, hurling shards of heavy bass and cavernous drums to accompany the findings.

Following fairly hot on the heels of last year’s Guitar Module 2017 LP, Mars sees the scuzzy noise-pop aesthetic of the earlier album being augmented by Dan Friel‘s bizarre and other-worldly vocal histrionics. He has chosen to supplant some of his guitar work with putting his voice through an array of pedals to create some outlandish effects. They almost work as the astral journey element to these tales of red planet colonisation and escape from the disasters that may befall us here.

The first thing that strikes you about this album’s sound is the intensity of the riffage and the solidity of the rhythm section. Martin Bisi, the renowned New York producer who has worked with the likes of Swans, Sonic Youth and Live Skull, is on duty here and the huge, leaden pounding of the drums leaves little time for reflection as you may expect with the monstrous bass just adding to the feeling of inescapable gravity. It is the strange Pinky And Perky vocals on opener “Dead Mall”, high-pitched and keening, that give the track its strange atmosphere. There are wah-wah pedals applied on “Helicoder”. There is a lot of beating the listener over the head here, the rhythm section like a jackhammer on “Skylab” while the raucous airlock effects and layers of scuzz don’t allow respite.

The line “Put your hands against the window and watch the world recede outside” imbues “Wine Flies” with a sense of longing that must accompany space travel. The longing for a new start, but also possibly that sense of desire for return. The vocals here, unfiltered and deep, lay the soul bare — whereas on the following track, “Perfect Eyesight”, the addition of harmonies from Young People‘s Katie Eastburn give a sense of yearning, a touch of humanity in a peculiarly airless environment that sits at odds with the unsettling effected vocals.

The scattering of space debris across the title track increases the pressure with the guitar line appearing to duet, or even duel, with the processed vocals. There is a sense of oppressive and unwanted domination in the line “We’ll claim every inch as our own”, and the monstrous backing sounds are like a threat. There is a lessening of the pressure in “Deimos”, a lighter atmosphere that does allow a brief respite and gives wings to the Theremin-like vocal effects, while the guitar line has an unexpected feeling of pleasant hopefulness.

The riffing descends for the last two tracks, their irresistible momentum and density of the rhythm helping to highlight the soaraway vocals. The final track breaks at the end. A brief outro of circular, floating memory that highlights what may have been lost on this one-way journey. It is quite an intense ride and the squalling, relentless vocal subterfuge is a bit much at times — but generally, this is quite an impressive trip.

-Mr Olivetti-